Water gauge



Patented 25, i924,

nutrir e' a M GEORGE SARGENT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATER Application ed June l.,

To @ZZ whom t concern Be it lrnown that l, Geenen H. SARGENT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Coolr and State of Villinois, have invented certain new and useful `improvements in `Water Gauges, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to water gauges employed with steam boilers and the like for the purpose of indicating fluid level, under pressure, and generally stated the invention comprises a metallic casing formed to providea water chamber disposed lengthwise of the casing with connections at the upper and lower ends thereof in the manner usual in gauges of this type. rEhe invention also contemplates a gauge wherein one wall or forward side thereof consists of a sight-glass removably secured in place and in a manner to effect fluid-tight connection and at the same time enable a disassociation of the respective parts of the gauge for repair and the like when occasion requires.

The invention more specifically stated comprises means whereby the interior of the gauge may be divided to provide a circulating` space for the water at a point removed from the inner or rear face ofthe sightglass, while at the same time permitting the water to enter the space immediately adjacent the inner side of the sight-glass and present a water level similar to and identical with thc water level in the main portion or water chamber of the gauge; the latter mentioned portion being in direct alignment with the connections provided' intermediate of the top and bottom ends of the gauge and the boiler.

The object of my invention is to provide means of the type hereinbefore referred to whereby a separate space or chamber is provided immediately adjacent the rear or inner side of the sight-glass, with said meansi however, of such nature as not to prevent or interfere with a proper reading of the water level and therefore not of a nature adapted to reflect improper light rays which might tend to confusel and interfere with a proper reading of the gauge; the purpose of the invention being to provide such means which will permit free access to be had to the gauge interior when occasion requires, while at the same time being of such construction that hot water when flowing or GAUGE.

i922. serial No. 568,506.

blown through the gauge will be so guided as not to be in intimate frictional contact with the inner surface of the glass.

The objects and advantages of my invention will be more fully comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view through my improved gauge.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detail view in perspective of my improved partition or shutter looking at the rear side thereof.

Figure l is a detail view in perspective of the packing element or gasket which enc-ircles the shutter or partition.

My invention is intended to be used with a gauge provided with a sight-glass of the Klinger type having prismatic formations or longitudinally disposed facets or surfaces on the inner side of the glass whereby a certain reflection and refraction of the light rays is produced and the water level thereby more readily discerned because of the pronounced demarcation produced by the reflected light rays. I

ln practice, it has been found that the inner faceted surface of the glass is subject to deterioration due to the action of the water and steam passing through the gauge, especially when they flow through the gauge with more or less velocity` which has been found to have an erosive effect on the glass. lt has also been found that the distilled water or water of condensation coming from the upper end of the gauge fittings, when permitted to contact with the glass produces a disintegrating effect on the inner surface of the glass. In order to overcome the deleterious effects just referred to, I provide means as herein set forth, adapted for use in connection with a gauge consistingr of a main or body portion l0 of suitable metal formed to provide a longitudinal channel or charnber throughout the casting as at 11, with the ends of the casting provided with openings or passages as at 12, l2 adapted to receive proper connections or nipples for effecting communication with the interior of the boiler or container at suitable points whereby to determine the water level in the boiler. The side walls of the body portion l0 terminate in laterally disposed portions or flanges as at 14, which are preferably keriied or out away adjacent the inner sides or' the side Walls to provide a shoulder and suitable seat ior the packing` element or gasket shown at l5.

he gauge is provided with a iront member or cover-plate 16 formed with an elongated opening and recessed on the inner side thereof Vto receive the sight-glass shown 17 and to effect comparatively snug relation with the edges of the sight-glass as shown. rlhe front member or cover-plate i6 is preterabiy provided with a marginal flange along the sides thereoiI as shown i8 adapted to overlap a portion et the laterally disposed sides or flanges lll oii t'ie main body oi the gauge as shown in Figure 2; and the cover-plate is secured in place by means bolts as at 19 which extend through suitable openings in the flange portion le of the body and screw into tapped openib in the coverplate as shown in Figure 2. The juncture between the cover-plate and the laterally disposed flange portions il ot the body member is preferably provided .vith suitable packing as at 20, in order to effect a. Watertight connection between the body member and the eover-plate when the bolts l) have been firmly screwed into place.

Before securing the cover-plate and sight-- glass in place, l provide the iront side ot the Water chamber' 1l ot the main casting' l0 with a metallic shutter or partition 2l ot length and Width slightly greater than the length and width ot the 'iront side oi" the Water chamber in order that the ma edges oi. the partition or shutter f in lapping relation with the recessed tion oi. the side Walls ot the man the gauge. The partition or shutter 2l preterably consists of a ilat sheet of thin netal. In the particular exempliiication ot the invention as disclosed in the drawing' the shutter or partition is shown slightly dished; that is to say, with the mai nal edges thereor" offset and disposed in a dilerent plane from that ot the main part ot the shutter, as indicated at Q2 in liguro 3, while the immediate edge ot the shutter or partition at the saine time is disposed subsantially parallel with the mein portion ot tbe shutter so as to permit the flanges or immediate edge of the shutter to lit intermediate oi 'the rear ot the sight-glass l? and the rather the packing element or g ,Y Vlfith the construction as just describet it is apparent that a shallow Water space is provided as shown in Figure l at a point immediately adjacent the rear tace oi. the sight-glass. `Where the gauge is provided with the Klinger type of sight-glass having' the longitudinal grooves on the rear tace, the shutter 2l need not be dished as sufficient vvater-space will be provi( ed between the glass and the shutter.

i ,assess rifhe gasket l5 is preferably made ot fabric asbestos formed into a flat continuous elongated band adapted to extend throughout the herted surface oit the front tace ot body l@ of the gauge and thereiore is adapted to receive the lange or imperiiorate edge oi the par ition or shatter 2l; which is also arranged in contact with the rear or inner tace ot the sight-glass l?, as shown in Figures l and 2.

es a result et the construction and arrangement oit parts, it is apparent when the :liront member or cover-plate lo is drawn into snug` relation with the trent portion oi3 the main body l0, upon tightening the fasten' r means or bolt-s i9, the thin metallic shee'U or partition 2i vvi`l cause the packing gasket lo to be compressed and at a point Where the steam come in contact with and the gasket; While at the saine time the gasket will overlap or completely surround the entire edge of the thin niietallic sheet or partition and provide a tight joint or seal which will prevent any leakage about the sightand therefore prevent the hot Water or steam `forcing its Way laterally across the inner dat marginal surface ol3 the sight c is a result ot this censtruetionj the deteriorating or disintegrat'og eiiec-t resulting from the bot Water or steam seeping across the margin oi the glass vfill be eliminated and the liie et' the gauge thereby enhanced. lt has been found in praotice that although the metallic portion ot the gang may be formed with a sinomh even surface, the glass is not always provided with such surface; it is therefore dii'licult to provide a proper juncture between the sighteglass and the metallic body or" the gauge whereby the steam or hot Water is prevented from .seepi ing` therebetween. The seepage oft stes hot Water 1inst described will dientegrae the glass and :arise in grooves or channels to be 1,Jorn in the that is provided which prevents the possibility of the Water or steam Vacting in the manner hereinbefore stated.

As is apparent trom my improved gauge, a Water chamber or space is provided immedia 'ely rearward of the sight-glass, which space or chamber, however, is in free cornmunioation with the main chamber or portion of the gauge by reason of the openings formed in the partition. or shutter 21., la

iasaoee the particular exeinplification, the upper and lowei` ends of the shutter or partition 21 are shown provided with the comparatively large openings 24, 24, while the intermediate portion thereof is provided with openings 25 which may be slightly smaller in diameter than the openings 24e. The openings are all preferably 4provided with the surrounding and rearwardly extending walls or thimbles 26, which may be yformed integral with the main portion of the partition or shutter or otherwise secured thereto so as to be disposed rearwardly into the main water chamber of the gauge, for the purpose of preventing the water eddying into the chamber or space immediately rearward of the sight-glass. These thimbles or rearwardlyv extending portions 26 tend to spread the water or steam to opposite sides of the openings in the shutter during its flow through the main water chamber of the gauge; the water being deflected and prevented from passing directly into the space intermediate of the sight-glass and the forward side of the shutter or partition. I have found that the blowing-out operation in gauges where the main body of water is in direct contact with the glass, that the rapidly flowing steam and hot water has an erosive effect on the sight-glass. This serious objection and action is overcome with my improved construction because the rapidly moving steam andhot water is kept out of intimate contact with the rear face of the sight-glass; the rapid flow of the water taking place principally in the main chamber of the gauge rearward of the partition where the chamber is in direct alignment with the end openings and its connections, while the thimbles or annular portions 26 will tend to deflect the rapidly moving water and steam and retard its rapid flow forward of the shutter and therefore in immediate contact with the sight-glass. As a result, the dissipating action on the inner face of the sight-glass will be materially retarded and the life of the sight-glass therefore enhanced; at the same time the condensate will be prevented from flowing down the rear face of the glass, with the result that the disintegration of the sight-glass is also prevented. The shutter or partition 2l is preferably oxidized or provided with a dark surface to prevent the reflection oflight rays, thereby giving the comparatively thin film of water forward of the shutter or partition the appearance of depth, with the result that the light reiiectioir and refraction, produced by the Klinger glass, will not be destroyed or affected.

It is also apparent that my improved shutter or partition, which is composed of thin sheet metal, may be readily applied to water gauges of the general type mentioned and at present in use, without necessitating any change in the gauge construction, thereby eliminating the difficulties encountered and greatly enhancing the life of the gauge.

The construction disclosed in the drawing believe to be the simplest and best embodiment of my invention which has been described in terms employed merely as terms of description and not as termsV of limitation, as structural modifications are possible and may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

That l claim is 1. In a water gauge, a main body portion formed to provide a water chamber and having openings at opposite ends thereof, a cover member provided with a sight opening and adapted to be secured to the front side of the main body portion, a sight-glass disposed across said sight-opening in said cover member and held against the forward side of the body portion by said cover member, and a partition or shutter disposed adjacent to the rear face of the sight-glass with the marginal edges thereof clamped intermediate of the sight-glass and forward side of the main body portion, said partition or shutter being provided with openings to permit the water to enter intermediate of the rear face of the sight-glass and said partition or shutter.

2. A water gauge, comprising an opensided body portion having connection-receiving openings in the ends thereof, a cover member for said open side, adapted to be r movably, secured to the body portion and provided with an elongated sight-opening, a sight-glass adapted to be held intermediate of the body portion and the cover member, and a thin metallic shutter adapted to be clamped between the sight-glass and the body portion, the perimeter of the shutter being off-set to provide a chamber intermediate of the shutter and the sight-glass, the shutter being provided with openings in predetermined spaced relation, with the metal about the openings being flanged rearwardly into the main body portion.

3. In a water gauge, a body membei formed to provide an open-sided water chamber having inlet and outlet openings at opposite ends, a cover-member for said open side provided with an elongated sightopening` and adapted to be removably secured to the body member by bolts at the sides of the body member, a sight-glass disposed transversely of the sight-opening between the body member and the cover member, a partition or shutter, the edges whereof are removably clamped between the edges of the sight-glass and the forward face of the body member, said partition being provided with openings to permit the water to enter between the partition and the sight-glass, and a continuous gasket of greater width than the clamped marginal edges of the partition disposed intermediate ot the edges of the partition and the body member and intermediate oi the sightglass and the body member so as to lap and snrround the edges ot the partition.

el. ln a water gauge, main member apen tured at both ends 'to receive Huid-conveying connections and termed to provide a water chamber in alignment with said apen tures, a cover member having a sight-opening adapted to be secured to the main member, the opposing' faces oi tbe main meinber and the cover member being recessed, a sight-glass disposed in the recesses oit the main member andthe cover member and adapted to be thereby removably clamped in place, and a thin metallic partition or shutf ter having ofi-set edges adapted to be clamped between the sight-glass and the main member and be disposed in a plane for* ward of the apertures in the ends of the main member, said partition being provided. with openings at predetermined points, with the metal about said openings being disposed rearwardly.

5. A water gauge comprising a main meinber apertured at both ends to receive fluidconveying connections and formed to provide a water chamber in alignment with said apertures, a cover member having a sightopening` and adapted to be removably secured to the main member, a sight-glass removably held intermediate of the main member and said cover member, a partition or shutter disposed rearward of the sightglass with the edges thereot arranged between the sight-glass and the forward wall of the main member and thereby removably held in place, said partition being formed to provide a water-space between the partition and the sight-glass and having openings at predetermined points to e'tlect communication between said water-spaee and the water chamber in the main member, and means disposed on the rear i'aee of said partition whereby direct flow trom the main ehaml er into said water-space will be prevented.

6. In a water gauge of the character described, a body member Jformed to provide an 'opeirsided water chamber having inlet and outlet openings at opposite ends, a cover member for said open side, provided with an elongated sight-opening and adapted to be removably secured to the body member, a sight-glass disposed transversely ot the Sightppening, a partition or shutter the edges whereof are adapted to be clamped between the sight-glass and the body mem- Liesbet ber, said partition being provided with openings to admit the water between the partition and rear side of the sight-glass, baiiies disposed about said openings on the rear side of the partition whereby direct ilow into the space forward of the partition during rapid flow through the gauge is prevented, and a continuous gasket adapted to be compressed intermediate of said partition and the body member and be in abutting),l relation with the perimeter oit' said partition intermediate oit the body member and said sight-glass.

7. ln a water gauge oi the Acharacerrdescribed, a body member formed to provide an open sided water chamber having inlet and outlet openings at opposite ends, a cover member ttor said open side adapted to be ovabiy secured to the body member, a sight-glass for said opening` disposed between the body member and the Cover member, and a partition or shutter marginally clamped between the sight-glass and the body member and provided with relatively large openings at predetermined points to permit the water to enter between the partition and the sight-glass, the portion of the partition about said openings being extended or flared rearwardly so as to prevent direct flow into the water space forward o'li the partition during the rapid dow of the water through the gauge in blow-oit" operations.

8. ln a water gauge of the character described, a body member formed to provide an open sided water chamber having inletV and outlet openings at opposite ends, a cover member for said open side adapted to be removably secured in place, a sight-glass dispose intermediate of the cover-member and body member, a thin metallic shutter or partition marginally clamped between the sight-glass and the body member and provided with spaced openings to permit the water to iiow into the space intermediate of the partition and the sight-glass, means disposee about the openings on the rear side of the partition or shutter whereby direct iiow ot the water forward oi the partition or shutter is prevented, and a continuous gasket disposed intermediateof the partition and the body member and in lapping relation with 'the perimeter of the partition, intermediate of the body member and the sight-glass.

GEORGE H. SARGENT. Witnesses:

G. Hemi/IAN, F. A. FLORELL. 

